CAI, do I really need one?

I just drove 7840kms round trip, and I learmt a few things about my truck.
I installed and used a Maxitrip computer to read the OBDII port and display what the computer was doing.

An interesting side note was intake air temps, as I'm gonna buy a CAI kit.
Idleing made the air intake temps about 12c higher than ambient air, but while driving the intake air was the same or 1c warmer than outside air.
I used the mirror for the outside air temp, and this maxitrip for IA temp.

So, do I really need to buy a CAI???
A CAI kit can't lower the temp anymore than what the outside air temp is, and while driving the temp is already at ambient, so WTF?

Ok, so I figure that I need the CAI for the increased air flow, not lowering the air temp. If that's so, then why buy a kit with the baffles, why not buy the cheap kit? And if the baffles are for not letting in the engine heat, then why not suck in air to feed the CAI kit from the fender wall?

C'mon, I can't be the only one monitoring intake air temps and ambient air temps???

Anyone?

The only kit I would consider is one that seals off from the engine bay like the stock one does (volant also makes a nice one). I use to have an airaid but once I put the whipple on and started monitering IAT's, I switched back to stock box. The stock airbox does just fine. You probably could benefit some by changing the tube from the throttle to the air filter box.

if you have the means to do it you could probably switch your intake piping to something like mine and get some benefit, but i wish i has a way to separate the filter from the engine bay heat. but its to cold to do it right now

here are some pics for inspiration







hope this helps.

Keep the stock air box but just change the ****** flex pipe out for a solid clean pipe. Tats what i did, helped alot more than you think.

350Vortec: can you put up a pic of the solid pipe u used. thx.

Ok, so now that the temps have finally reached the 30 degree mark here. I decided that it was time to revisit the CAI question again. So I started to monitor the temp outside(mirror) compared to the temp recored by the computer Air Intake temp sensor(displayed with scan gauge).

When the truck is sitting there idling, even at a stop light, the air intake temp climbs up to over 60 degrees, and then backs off to about 10 degrees or so higher than ambient air when traveling at highway speed.

So has anyone who has the K&N CAI kit monitored their air intake temps vs stock temps? Driving at highway speed vs city stop and go? Care to share the data?


Thanks.
BTW, all temps mentioned are in Celcius.

DJTricky said:

if you have the means to do it you could probably switch your intake piping to something like mine and get some benefit, but i wish i has a way to separate the filter from the engine bay heat. but its to cold to do it right now

here are some pics for inspiration







hope this helps.

Click to expand...

i was thinking of getting the same elbow for my CAI, what did u do with the little hose that goes from the passenger side valve cover to the stock intake tube

im glad i see someone with it now, so i know it clears the hood

i replaced it with a filtered breather.

If your still interested i can drive around for a bit this weekend and let you know the temps with my K&N CAI. I would also like to know the true difference. Weather its just about the airflow or does it really make it cooler. I live near Seattle but wont be back till fri. I can give an update later.